Today marks the start of the two-week National Fall Safety Stand-Down campaign, which is dedicated to raising “awareness of preventing fall hazards in construction.” Given that falling accidents are the leading cause of death for construction workers, this campaign is aimed at reducing the incidence of such preventable deaths.

During this two week campaign, OSHA notes that employers and employees throughout the U.S. will voluntarily take time out of their work days to focus on fall preventions and protections. These so-called Stand-Down events are scheduled to take place in every state throughout the U.S., with the U.S. Air Force even supporting the effort at its worldwide bases.

According to the official Stand-Down campaign website, the goal for the 2015 campaign is to touch “almost 4 out of 10 construction workers in the country” by expanding the number of hosted Stand-Down events to 20,000 (with these events including at least 3 million workers in the U.S.).

Support for the Stand-Downs

Support for the Stand-Downs has come from industry and business leaders, as well as from labor organizations, community groups, regulators and universities.

Noting the importance of this campaign, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez has stated:

Last year’s Stand-Down was a big success. More than 5,000 employers talked about fall protection with more than a million workers. It was a tremendous commitment to safety on the part of businesses and workers alike. I am confident that we can do even better this year… The construction industry is so important to our economy. We all depend on it every day. It drives growth and prosperity. It generates good, middle-class jobs that can support a family. But we have to make sure those jobs are as safe as they can possibly be. That’s why fall prevention and this Stand-Down are so important.

Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health has supported these sentiments, noting that:

The people that fall are not just numbers, they are mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers… the cost of building our nation and economy cannot be the lives of its workforce, and that’s what this Stand-Down is all about. These deaths are preventable if we plan ahead, provide workers the right equipment and train each and every one of them how to use it.

The director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, John Howard, M.D., has also come out in support of the Stand-Down campaign, stating:

Construction workers help build our communities, and we must look to keep these communities whole by preventing these tragedies… This safety Stand-Down serves as an important opportunity for everyone to take the time to learn how to recognize and prevent fall hazards.

How to Get Involved

OSHA has noted that you/your company can get involved in the 2015 Stand-Down campaign by planning a break, lunch, meeting or some other activity where employers and construction workers can get together to discuss things like:

Fall prevention and protections

Equipment safety and inspections

Rescue plans

Job- or site-specific hazards.

You can also check out the official Stand-Down website for more suggestions on how to participate in this campaign.

Will you be doing anything to support this campaign? If so, please share your plans with us on Facebook & Google+.

Contact Denver Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Jennifer Bisset by calling (303) 894-8900 to learn more about your rights and receive a professional evaluation of your case. You can also email our firm using the contact form on the right side of this page.

From her office based in Denver, Jennifer Bisset provides superior legal services to injured people throughout Denver County and the state of Colorado.